Controller for diaphragm valve



Se t. 2, 1958 H- M. MORGAN CONTROLLER FOR DIAPHRAGM VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 21. 1955 VALVE BODY IN VEN TOR.

M. MORGAN HUGH ATTORNEY Sept. 2, 1958 H. M. MORGAN 2,849,884

CONTROLLER FOR DIAPHRAGM VALVE Filed July 21. 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lze l2 n lSo -15:

12 b la b INVENTOR.

.7 IE. 3 HUGH M. MORGAN MAIN VALVE BODY BY ATTOEWE Y United States Patent CONTROLLER FOR DIAPHRAGM VALVE Hugh M. Morgan, Culver City, Calif., assignor to Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Company, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Application July 21, 1955, Serial No. 523,425

3 Claims. c1. 74-110 This invention relates to diaphragm valves and, more particularly, to a new and improved diaphragm valve controller, generally known as a pilot valve.

One of the objects of the invention is toprovide a more quiet and reliable diaphragm controller which is of inexpensive yet sturdy construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a diaphragm valve controller which makes use of a solenoid type of motor means to actuate the controller, but which is quiet in operation, as compared to similar commercial motor means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanical motion transmitting means between a plunger of a solenoid and a control member which aids in rendering the operation of the solenoid quiet.

A still further object of the invention is to provide, in a diaphragm controller valve, an adjustable sliding pivot for a lever transmitting motion from a motor means to a pilot valve, so that the friction between the pivot and its support provides a dampening effect to reduce the noise of the motor means.

Still other objects of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description of the invention in conjunction with the drawings 'wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the invention with a major portion of the diaphragm valve body broken away, portions of the controller broken away and the cover shown in phantom;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional plane view of the invention taken along line 22 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is an end view of the invention with amajor portion of the valve body broken away and part of the controller housing broken away.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawing, the numeral 11 designates a conventional diaphragm valve body while the numeral 12 designates a top casting therefor. The casting has a hollowed out lower portion, forming a pressure chamber above a diaphragm 13, which is clamped between the main valve body 11 and the upper casting 12 by means of bolts 10. Located on the upper surface of the top wall 14 of the casting 12 and within the confines of an upwardly extending side wall 12a of the upper casting and a cover 15, clamped to the casting 12 by means of bolts 46 extending through lugs 15a and into threaded bores 12c in ribs 12b, is a diaphragm controller valve 16 which is substantially the same as that disclosed in Huntington Patent No. 2,667,897.

The valve or controller has a relatively rigid actuating arm 17 and a relatively resilient actuating arm 18 secured to an actuating stem 19 of a valve (not shown) within the body of the controller 16. A plate 16a, which forms part of the top of the diaphragm controller 16 extends laterally therefrom and supports at its left-hand end a bracket 20. The bracket 20 has an arm 21 which extends toward the diaphragm controller 16 and parallel to the plate 16a and rests on a block of rubber 22 located between it and the upper surface of the wall 14. The

arm 21 has a hole 23 therein which receives the lower end of a bobbin 24 made of nylon or any other suitable nonmagnetic material.

The bobbin 24 carries a coil of wire 25 thereon between two annular flanges 26 spaced inwardly a short distance from each end of the bobbin 24. The upper end of the bobbin 24 extends through a hole 16b in the plate 16a. A stop 27, made of suitable magnetic material, has an annular flange thereon at its lower end which rests against the lower end of the bobbin 24, with the remainder thereof extending upwardly into the bobbin 24 with a slidable fit. The stop 27 also rests on the rubber block 22 so that when a solenoid plunger 28 located within the bobbin 24 is pulled inwardly thereof, due to energization of the coil 25, the plunger will strike the stop 27, which will yield by compressing the rubber block 22, and thus absorb the shock and reduce the noise that would otherwise be caused by the impact. The plunger 28 has a conventional shading ring 29 of nonmagnetic material. The coil 25 is connected to a suitable source of electricity by means of lead Wires 25a and 25b connected to termi nals and connectors 30, which are adapted to receive lead wires (not shown) connected to a source of electricity and a thermostat or other suitable control means.

A cover 31 shown in phantom in Figure 1 of the drawing encloses a terminal block 32 through which lead terminals 30 extend. This cover has openings at each end thereof, with rubber bushings 33 and 34 therein, through which the external wiring of the control system may pass to connect to the terminals. The bushing 34. may be removed to receive a conduit coupling in the event that such a coupling is required. A partition 35 also extends downwardly from the upper wall of the cover 31 to cooperate with an upwardly extending partition 32a on the terminal block to efifectively divide the space over the terminal block into two separate chambers, one to receive safety device leads and the other to receive other leads or wiring;

The diaphragm controller or pilot valve is arranged to be actuated by the solenoid plunger 28 by means of a lever 36 having one end thereof extending between the arms 17 and 18. A longitudinally extending slot 37 in this end of the lever has a pin 17a extending upwardly therethrough from the arm 17 and through an opening 18a in the resilient arm 18. This connection permits axial sliding movement of the lever 36 with respect to the levers or arms 17 and 18 but no lateral movement of the lever 36 with respect to the pin 17a. Theother end of the lever 36 has a socket portion 36a and a hole 37 therein through which a headed sleeve 38 extends,the

sleeve 38 being secured to a reduced diameterportionof the plunger extending upwardly from the upper end of the main body portion of the solenoid plunger 28. A relatively stiff strip of metal 39 is riveted to the lever 36 intermediate its ends and has a downwardly inclined portion terminating in an arcuate bearing portion 39a, which engages the upper surface of the plate 16a to serve as a pivot for the lever 36. The distance between the bearing surface of the portion 39a and the lever 36 may be varied by rotating an adjusting screw 40 screw-threaded through an opening in the lever 36 and bearing against the upper surface of the portion 39a. A generally L- shaped leaf spring 41 has a long arm 42, the outer end of which bears downwardly on the rivet that holds the pivot member 39 to the arm 36. This spring normally holds the actuated arms 17 and 18 of the diaphragm controller 16 in the position which causes the diaphragm valve to close. When the coil 25 is energized, the plunger 28 will be pulled into the plunger tube 24 against the stop 27 and move the arms 17 and 18 against the bias of spring 41, by pivoting the lever 36 counterclockwise about the pivot portion 39a and moving the diaphragm Patented Sept. 2, 1958 controller to the position which permits the diaphragm valve to open.

The elements of the apparatus are disclosed in Figure l as being in the energized condition of the coil 25. The short leg- 43 of the spring 41. rests at its lower end on the top of plate 16a and has a stud projection 43a therein which extends into a hole 44 in the plate 161:. so as to prevent. rotation ofthe spring 41 about. anadjusting screw 47. The adjusting screw extends through a hole in the.

36a of. the lever 36 so as to limit the outward. movement.

of the, plunger 28 and the lever 36' with respect to the plate 16a.

Operation With the valve. body 11 connected to a source of gas and with. a. furnaceand with the coil 25 connected to a. source. ofelectricity through a suitable control switch, the elementsofthe. invention will be in the position shown inthe drawings, that is, the plunger 28 will be pulled into the. plunger tube or bobbin 24. and against the stop 27 so that the diaphragm controller 16 will permit gas to be-bled out fromabove-thediaphragm 13 through, avent passage. 12d extending through a rib 12s on the casting 12. which. will permit. gas: at. inlet pressure in. the valve.

body 11 to. raisethe diaphragm 13 and thus raise a valve head (not shown) offits valve seat (not shown) to permit gas tofiow to. the furnace, .in a conventional manner.

Should the. control switch be opened to de-energize. the

coil 25, the spring 42 will pivot the lever 36 clockwise about the pivot 39a to raise the plunger 28 ofl the stop 27 andmove the arms 17 and 18 of diaphragm controller;

towardthe plate 16m. This movement of the arms 17 and 18 will cause a shifting of the valve of the diaphragm controller so as to permit gas under supply pressure to enterthe chamber. above the diaphragm 13 and to. simultaneously cut. ofi the escape of gas from above: the diaphragm through. the vent. 12d.

It will be. noted that in they movement of the lever 36.

between the onf and off positions of the valve, there.-

is sliding movementbetween the lever 36 and. thearms 17 and. 18. and between the bearing surface of the pivot 39a and. the top surface of the plate 16a as Well as. somev friction between theplunger 28 and the plunger tube 24, due to. the fact that the efiective lever lengths between the pivots 39a and the. arms 17 .and 18 and between the pivot 39a and the plunger connection to the lever 36 change as the lever moves between open and close positions. It is this friction between these parts of the de- 4 vice that produces a dampening or retarding'movement of the parts and which materially aids in reducing the amount of noise produced by the operation of the solenoid, even though a large portion of the noise is eliminated by the nlbber pad 22 supporting the stop 27.

It will also be noted that the above mentioned arrangement and construction of parts makes the assembly thereof relatively easy and the manufacture of the elements inexpensive, which permits the manufacture of a highly reliable, inexpensive and quiet valve.

While I have described the preferred embodiment of the invention above, it is deemed to be obvious to those skilled in the art how structural changes may be made therein without departing from thespirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is to be determined solely from the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A controller comprising a control member, a plate, an actuator for said member movable toward and away from said plate, a lever having a transversely adjustable pivot rectilinearly slidable on said plate, said lever havingoperating engagement with said actuator, a solenoid secured to said plate and having a plunger operably engaging said lever, and means for biasing said lever in a direction tov withdraw said. plunger from said solenoid and to actuate said control member.

2. A control device comprising a control member, a lever having a slidable pivotal connection at one of its ends with said control member, motor means operably engaging the other end of said. lever, and a transversely extending pivot secured to said lever intermediate its ends and having rectilinearly slidable movement on a flat surfaceadjacent said motormeans.

3. A control device comprising a control means, a lever having a pivotal connection at one of its ends with said control means, motor means operably engaging the other end of said lever, and an adjustable pivot secured to .and spaced laterally from said lever intermediate its ends and having rectilinearly slidable engagement with a flat bearing surface within said device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,680,245. Penn Aug. 7, 1.928 1,735,511 Shrode Nov; 12, 1929 1,780,713 McEwan Nov. 4, 1930 2,280,390 Ensign Apr. 21, 1942- 2,635,632' Mayer Apr. 21, 1953 2,635,635 Eitnermann Apr. 21, 1953 2,687,738 Thornbery .Aug. 31, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 656,037' Great Britain Dec. 22, 1949 

